Schizonyxhelea thomsenae (Wirth), description of the pupa and first records from Argentina, Brazil and Peru (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae)

Abstract

The pupa of Schizonyxhelea thomsenae (Wirth) is described and illustrated from material collected in Misiones province, Argentina. A key for the four known species of pupae of Schizonyxhelea is given, a diagnosis and photographs of the adult are also provided, and the geographic distribution of the species in the Neotropical region is enlarged including fi rst records from Argentina, Brazil and Peru based mainly on adult specimens.

Ceratopogonidae (Diptera) Communities in a Protected Area Threatened by Urbanization

“…If the hypothesis of Guerrero et al (2018) was plausible, animal and plant species that were not present in the RNIPL could be expected to colonize it progressively, occupying available niches and thereby increasing biological diversity. The results obtained show evidence in this regard: 23 species not registered in the RNIPL or in surrounding areas in previous studies carried out during the 1980s (Spinelli & Balseiro 1982, Spinelli et al 1989 were found during the present study, and published in an update of the distribution of species by Cazorla et al (2018). These findings also show that some species that normally inhabit warm areas of northern Argentina (subtropical region) may be moving towards temperate zones to the south, through the corridor formed in the northeast of Buenos Aires Province, along the right bank of the Río de la Plata.…”

“…The remaining species are widely distributed in the Neotropical and Nearctic regions (Borkent & Spinelli 2007). In Argentina, the distributions of Stilobezzia kiefferi Lane, Schizonyxhelea thomsenae (Wirth), and Culicoides debilipalpis Lutz are restricted to the northeast and northwest (Cazorla 2016, Cazorla et al 2018). Both these regions have extensive forest environments.…”